Grevillea plant named ‘Kings Fire’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Grevillea  plant named ‘Kings Fire’, characterized by its bright red-colored inflorescences, light green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Grevillea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Kings Fire’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/230,019 filed May 22, 2015.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofGrevillea plant botanically known as Grevillea hybrid and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Kings Fire’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in WestPerth, Australia during March 2011. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Grevillea cultivars that have largeinflorescences with attractive colors.

The new Grevillea cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. Thefemale (seed) parent of the new cultivar is a Grevillea niveaproprietary breeding selection not coded, not patented, characterized byits medium red-colored inflorescences, light green-colored foliage, andmoderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parentof the new cultivar is Grevillea hybrid ‘Crowning Glory’, not patented,characterized by its medium yellow-colored inflorescences, mediumgreen-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, trailing growth habit.The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during March2012 in a controlled environment in in West Perth, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceMarch 2012 in West Perth Australia and Valley Center, Calif. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all ofthe characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retainedthrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Kings Fire’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Grevillea plant:

-   -   1. Bright red-colored inflorescences;    -   2. Light green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in having a larger inflorescence and from plants of the maleparent primarily in inflorescence color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Grevillea cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Red Hooks’, not patented. However,in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ fromplants of ‘Red Hooks’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a leaf shape different from        plants of ‘Red Hooks’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a bud color different from        plants of ‘Red Hooks’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have an inflorescence color that        is a shade of red different from plants of ‘Red Hooks’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘KingsFire’. The plants are approximately two-years old and were grown inthree-gallon containers for approximately 16 months in an outdoornursery in Valley Center, Calif. Plants were given two pinches duringthe 16 month growth period.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Kings Fire’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘KingsFire’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in December 2015 undernatural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe two-year old plantsproduced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in an outdoor nurseryin Valley Center, Calif. Temperatures for this period ranged from 72° F.to 78° F. (22° C. to 26° C.) during the day to 52° F. to 58° F. (11° C.to 14° C.) during the night. The plants were grown in three-galloncontainers for approximately 16 months utilizing a soilless growthmedium. Plants were given two pinches during the 16 month growth period.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Grevillea hybrid cultivar Kings Fire.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Grevillea nivea proprietary breeding            selection not coded, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Grevillea hybrid ‘Crowning Glory’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 16 weeks.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 20 to 24            weeks.        -   Root description.—Light brown in color, fine.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, tight groupings of small            rootlets.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 16 to 24 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 25.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances            branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:            Approximately 6.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:            Approximately 22.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Length of central internode: Approximately 1.8 cm. Texture:            Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color of young stems:            146C, color appears lighter due to pubescence. Color of            mature stems: 199A with N200B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.            Fragrance: None detected.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: 8 to 10 lobed,            lobes linear and clustered closer to apex. Margin: Entire,            pinnatisect; leaf margins curve downwards enclosing the            lower surface of the leaf. Apex of lobes: Acute. Base:            Narrowly attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of            mature leaf: Approximately 9.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:            Approximately 6.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Immature            leaves moderately pubescent, scattered silky hairs, becomes            sparsely pubescent with development. Texture of lower            surface: Tomentose with the exception of midvein. Pubescence            color: NN155D. Color of upper surface of young foliage:            137A, color appears slightly lighter due to pubescence,            indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of young            foliage: Closest to 137C, color appears slightly lighter due            to pubescence, indistinguishable venation. Color of upper            surface of mature foliage: 137A, venation indistinguishable.            Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138A, color            appears slightly lighter due to pubescence,            indistinguishable venation.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Kings Fire’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming in Zones 9a through 11.        -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the            plant.—Approximately 3 weeks.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme. Self-cleaning. Shape:            Secund conflorescence, florets primarily facing one side.            Aspect: Facing upward and outward. Arrangement: Terminal and            from leaf axils. Fragrance: None detected. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 5. Diameter: Approximately 2.7 cm.            Depth: Approximately 10.0 cm.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 to 6 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open floret.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular. Diameter:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose.            Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 144A with 187A appears to            be off-white due to pubescence.        -   Florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 100.            Arrangement: Primarily in pairs. Length: Approximately            2.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.        -   Perianth.—Shape: Tubular with a ventral limb, becomes            revolute during anthesis. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm.            Diameter at widest point: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at            base: Approximately 2.0 mm.        -   Tepals.—Quantity: 4. Shape: Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Acute. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Pubescence            color: NN155D. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Color of            outer surface when fully open: 180A, appears to be off-white            due to pubescence. Color of inner surface when fully open:            180A.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Texture: Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 145A,            appears white due to pubescence.        -   Rachis.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 10.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface:            Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 145A appears            white due to pubescence.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Pubescence color:            NN155D. Color: 145D appears lighter due to pubescence.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anthers located within            perianth limb and basally attached to perianth. Anther            quantity. 4 per floret. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther            length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: N34A with            surface facing tepals of 163A. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen            color: 163D. Gynoecium: Stigma functions as a pollen            presenter holding pollen for pollinators to remove until            stigma matures becoming receptive to cross pollination.            Nectary located at base of ovary. Pistil quantity: 1 per            floret. Pistil length: Approximately 2.8 cm. Stigma shape:            Funnel. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 163A.            Style length: Approximately 2.6 cm. Style color: N34A to            N34B. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary texture:            Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Ovary color: 144A,            appears white due to pubescence. Nectary size: Approximately            1.0 mm in length and 2.0 mm in width. Nectary color: 163B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Grevillea has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Grevillea plantnamed ‘Kings Fire’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.